The Ogun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, alongside the Ijebu Ode Local Government, has dismissed reports alleging the suspension of three senior Ijebu traditional chiefs from the Council of Chiefs, describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a joint statement released on Friday, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, and the Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, refuted reports circulating on social media that the Kakanfo of Ijebu land, Chief Abimbola Okenla; the Lapoekun of Ijebu land, Chief Tunde Odulaja; and the Madasa of Ijebu land, Chief Lekan Oshifeso, had been suspended.
The officials stressed that no such decision had been taken or approved by any recognised traditional institution or the state government. They described the reports as the handiwork of mischief makers seeking to create confusion and disharmony in Ijebuland.
According to the statement, chieftaincy matters are governed by established laws, customs and due process, none of which had been initiated against the named chiefs. The public was therefore urged to disregard the reports and rely solely on official government channels for accurate information.
The clarification comes amid heightened interest in the ongoing process to select a new Awujale of Ijebuland following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on July 13, 2025, after a 65-year reign. Under the rotational arrangement, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House is expected to present candidates for consideration by the kingmakers.
However, the succession process has been fraught with delays and controversies. The state government had earlier constituted an interim administrative body to oversee traditional and administrative affairs pending the installation of a new Awujale. The body is chaired by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu land, Chief Folorunso Kuku, with Chief Lekan Oshifeso (Madasa) serving as secretary, alongside other traditional title holders.
In December 2025, the government halted an initial nomination exercise over alleged procedural lapses. A fresh process that began with a meeting on January 12, 2026, was again suspended on January 20 following petitions. Members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House later staged a protest, alleging attempts to impose a candidate.
Against this backdrop, the state government and the Ijebu Ode Local Government called for calm and warned against the spread of unverified information capable of escalating tensions in Ijebuland.
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